On the Lamb

November 04, 2017

I'm getting all geared up for my Thanksgiving culinary class that begins next weekend. It's always great to come up with fun and new ways to dress up old ingredients.

On this particular day, I was working on a beet salad and thought it would be quite nice to serve lamb with the earthy flavors of beet on the side and creamy mashed potatoes to even the playing field.

The beet salad is coming your way soon because I think it's lovely and unexpected way to enjoy beets (no Frisee greens with this one folks!)

But the highlight here is the lamb sirloins. These boneless lean lovelies lend themselves perfectly to a simple marinade with olive oil, rosemary leaves , loads of garlic and some kosher salt. All of this is pulverized to a chunky paste in a Magic Bullet type food processor, rubbed all over the meat on both sides and set aside.

I opted to roast them in the oven but these would be just so good on an outdoor grill too. My. Hubby was just not feeling it that particular evening so oven it was.

For a nice medium (and please folks, if you want to eat you lamb well done akin to leather, I say why bother! Move on to another meat) 20-25 minutes in the oven at 400 deg. F does the trick. On the outdoor grill 10-12 minutes per side will work just fine.

Of course as with any protein, rest it before you cut it.

The flavors are just so refreshing and the simplicity is all that you need. No need to fuss up the lamb!

And did I mention, that it looks so elegant on the plate that it will floor your guests and they'll never guess you weren't slaving in the kitchen to get dinner done. Wait until you see the beet salad to go with and then you'll really have something special to go with this lamb.

December 02, 2014

We're all set! The last of the Thankgiving turkey made an appearance at the dinner table in the face of a casserole and that means, it's done. I don't think I'm alone in that by day 4 after Thanksgiving the sentiment around the table is, it's "enough with the turkey already"!.

Which brings us to this factoid. We’re nutters for lamb in our family.

We crave spring goat when we do our Punjabi dishes and crave lamb for our stews, roasts and everything in between.

Nothing screams a hearty cool weather meal to me than a pot of lamb stew simmer on the stove top. It brings the point home when I look outside my window and all I see is rain with temps at 36 deg F. Like I said, cool cool weather.

So when my bright red Emile Henry Brazier makes an appearance on the counter top, the boys know something good is in the works.

Every winter, I do a little trot around the globe with my lamb – Irish stew, French Stew and of course all manner of Italian stews. When I don’t want to fuss around the kitchen, I tend to headstraight for my Italian recipe. It hardly requires an involved prep work and once you get the lid on, you’re nearly there….an hour and half later of course!

Sicilian lamb stew is lovely in that it is cooked with saffron. What’s not to love?!

But this herb lamb recipe from Molise is lovely in that it involves mashing up anchovies in a bowl along with loads of fresh sage, rosemary and garlic and olive oil. It is then sautéed in a little olive oil until fragrant with red onions and finally the lamb. A splash of wine and water with a lid…and an hour and a half or so later, a fantastic dinner is done!

And while the stew simmer away, curl up on the couch with a glass of vino, a good book, a cuddly blankey and the rest will follow.

December 06, 2012

Similar to many dishes in India, the tagine or tajine is a North African dish named after the pot in which it actually cooks and is especially popular in Morocco.﻿﻿﻿﻿

The traditional tagine pot is formed entirely
of heavy clay which is sometimes painted, glazed may be completely unglazed. It consists of two parts - a base which is somewhat flat and circular
with low sides, and a large conical and hat-shaped lid that rests
inside the base ring during cooking.

Foods like chicken & red meats benefit
from the clay dish that insulates and slowly cooks and is made tender
by steam. The lid, shaped like a pointed hat, allows the steam to
circulate above and around the contents while cooking, promoting condensation and thus infusing the
dish with flavor and tenderness.

It's traditional to pair red meat in tajines with dried fruits & nuts and in this version we've paired it with a real harvest of them - dates, apricots, raisins and a lot of sliced almonds. Another traditional element is the use of argan oil from argan which is a type of Mediterranean nut. However, having none of that in my pantry, I've used all olive oil.

What's lovely is that after hours of cooking the dates melt into the gravy, the raisins plump up, the apricots turn to mush, the almonds soften and the meat turns buttery-soft. The result is this wonderfully rich gravy infused with spices, meaty juices and just the right hint of sweetness.

If there ever was a dish that was made for kicking back on the couch on a weekend with a glass of wine, good friends for company or even a good book for that matter, this one's it. Served with a side of couscous tossed in with butter, fresh cilantro, parsley and sliced almonds, it's dinner at it's finest!

This recipe comes from British Chef Antony Worrall Thompson a.k.a 'Wozza' who is famed for his TV shows & restaurant Ménage à Trois, which was widely known as the late Princess of Wales’ favourite restaurant in London.

March 08, 2011

Is it odd that some of my fondest childhood memories are nestled in a plateful of spicy ground meat with hot bread rather than some sweet confection?

Perhaps.

Growing up my weekends would punctuated by late weekend brunches with Mum's Kheema and while Mum was busy preparing the kheema, Dad and I would get into out little jonquil colored Italian Fiat and drive down to our favorite pao-wala (bread man) who worked out of a little tin shack on the side of the street and pick up hot slabs of bread loaves (paos) sold by the dozen at which point these are known as ladis. Very Mumbai, this.

Oh yes! Those were amazing times and these memories will forever warm my soul. As Mum brought the Kheema to the dinner table here in the US, we served it with hot oven baked Naan. I hope you remember my recent post on Homemade Naan. What a delight to have these come straight out of our oven and Dad says it rivals some of the finest he has eaten growing up. Now there's a compliment if there ever was one!

Any way not to my surprise, the conversation at the dinner table drifted back to those wonderful slabs of hot paos so common in Mumbai. Of all the things from back home, pao is on my top ten list. Turns out, unlike bread here in the US that does so well in the freezer and therefore keeps for extended periods of time, pao turns into soggy loafs once you take them out of the freezer. So the question that comes to my mind is, what do they put in the bread here that makes it freezer friendly?

Hmmm....should we plead the fifth on this one ?

For now, I think we'll just have to stick with hot homemade Naan's, shamelessly slathered with butter along with Mum's delicious kheema with whole spices and herbs.

The kheema is traditionally ground goat meat found at Pakistani halal stores here in the US (use lamb if you must) of fine quality and is stewed with onions and spices and it then sauteed till it is nearly dry and the ghee simmers to the surface. So aromatic is dish and yet utterly simple that it has been a staple for generations - my grandfather, my Dad, myself and now my kids! You know something is special when it stands the test of time and turns into a family tradition.

March 23, 2010

It always manages
to creep up on me. It's as if even though the logical part of my brain knows its
spring - it's that time in March, I get used to the cold dreary days and then all of a sudden out of the blue, blue skies
and the scent of orange blossoms! Everywhere!

There's nothing quite like the sweet scent of
orange blossoms & it gets me every time. I take deep breathes the
moment I step outside!

I
have been waiting eagerly on the precipice between winter & spring
because do I have some very special meals in store for you. Some
classics and some based on sheer imagination let loose on the culinary
slopes!

So here comes one of my favorite
gastronomic delights - a very special French classic,Lamb Navarin D'Agneau Printanier which is Lamb Navarin with Spring Vegetables.

When Chef Robin White quite out of the blue did me the honor of asking me to appear as a Guest Author on her blog and specifically asked me to work on something 'spring ' I just knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do this French Classic.

Now, its a very big deal for me that Chef Robin asked me to do this blog post. She wears many hats as a Restaurateur, Consultant, Wine Pairing expert & Teacher of the Culinary Arts. I first became acquainted with her when I read her marvelous article on Finishing Salts. I have never delved into these and if it were not for her & Chef Keller at the French Laundry, I would have continued in my state of oblivion.

I have often said that I lack the gene that allows me to follow a recipe to the 'T'. In fact I wouldn't begin to know how to do that. I think it has something to do with the fact that especially when it comes to the French cooking, I approach it with the same mindset I approached my thesis as a graduate student. I research, deconstruct the argument recipe, look for similarities and differences and then reconstruct the recipe in my own light.

Two culinary giants & a humble me are in the kitchen for this rendition of Navarin D'Agneau Printanier. My favorite person when it comes to French cooking, Richard Grausman's recipe from his book At Home with the French Classics, Le Cordon Bleu's recipe for this & moi, calling out to the culinary Gods to smile on me as we journey into the world of Navarin D'Agneau Printanier.

Lamb Navarin is a stew with lamb, turnips, carrots & potatoes. What takes it from Lamb Navarin to Lamb Navarin Printanier is the addition of spring vegetables namely pre-cooked french beans (very thin green beans) and shelled green peas.

Please do not omit the turnips because it would it would no longer be Navarin. In fact take it from someone who has suffered from turnip nightmares growing up. If only my mother had cooked it this way, I'd have eaten the entire field of turnips without any fuss!

The main ingredients for this dish are - Lamb (technically shoulder is to be used) but I have Australian leg of lamb just because its easily available at a Costco or local butcher.

Lamb
- If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a
kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest.
Return the rest
of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not
refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.

Cut
away the thick skin if attached from the meat.

Cut the lamb into 1-1/2" cubes. Place on a kitchen paper towel. Cover with
another piece of paper towel and press so all the moisture is absorbed. The meat will not brown if it is damp.

For
Bouquet Garni -

Using the
Grausman method - Take 2 stalks of celery approx 4-5 inches long but
of
equal lengths. Place fresh or dried thyme in one of the celery hollows
(what else would u call it?) Place the bay leaves covering the thyme
followed by sprigs of fresh parsley.

Interlock
the two celery sticks together squishing
together all the herbs and tie the 2 halves together with kitchen
twine. There you have it - bouquet garni without the cheesecloth.
I have used this method time and time again over decades and it works
well every time.

Use a heavy bottom pan, dutch oven or a copper saute pan as in my case.

On high heat, bring vegetable oil to fuming. In a
single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then
flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes
for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over
crowd the pan.

Once golden brown, remove the meat &
set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.

Cook's Note - The Grausman recipe calls for beef stock as opposed to Le Cordon Bleu recipe which calls for hot water. Of course I prefer adding beef stock except I have added 4 cups instead of the called for 3 cups.

Also Grausman does not use fresh tomatoes in his recipe but Le Cordon Bleu does and I think its always a nice addition to a stew. However, I have reduced the quantity of tomatoes since I think the tart from the tomato paste will be strong enough. Also, I have reduced the quantity of onions as well. I find that use of onion in excess will turn the dish sweet which I don't think that's appropriate here.

On medium-high heat bring the stock to simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid and allow to cook undisturbed on low heat for 1 hour.

Meanwhile prepare the remaining vegetables -

In a saute pan, heat 2 tbs salted butter & add the carrots.

Saute on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently so the carrots brown on all sides. Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

In the same pan saute the pearl onions & turnips for another 3-5 minutes or so or until they are browned on all sides. Shake the pan frequently so the onions & turnips begin to glaze & are brown on all sides. Remove them to the same plate with the carrots along with all the butter in the pan.

Green
peas - Measure out the frozen green peas.

Green
French beans - For aesthetic reasons, I only string from the top
woody bit. I leave the end intact. Especially because these are
succulent young green beans, this will be OK. If you are using tough
green beans then string from both ends.

Set aside the green peas & the green beans ready to use.

After the stew has been cooking an hour, give the stew a good stir & add potatoes & the carrots. Stir & replace the tight fitting lid.

Cook's Note - In both the traditional recipes, the potatoes are cooked separately and added to the stew at the every end. I see no reason for this. If anything the potatoes are going to taste only better cooking in the stew (and I was right)

Mean while bring a pot of water, about 3 cups to an angry boil with 1 tsp salt. This takes about 15 minutes.

Add the green french beans and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Drain in a sieve, discarding excess water. Add the beans & peas to the stew. Stir. Replace the tight fitting lid & cook for 5 minutes.

Test the green beans & give it another 5 minutes if needed. In my case the beans were cooked after 5 minutes but since the quality of the beans varies, check to ascertain. Also, pierce one of every vegetable & thick piece of lamb to ensure it is all cooked.

Total cooking time was about 2 hours. Discard the thyme sprigs & the bouquet garni.

Cook's Note - If you are
preparing to serve this the next day do not add the green beans &
peas until the stew has been reheated thoroughly just before serving
time the next day. I do however want to point out that I liked it best the same evening even though it may be against norm.

Taste & adjust seasonings and Serve hot.

The stew can be serve in individual soup plates or in a tureen or deep large platter . Garnish with fresh chopped parsley .

This stew is absolutely delicious and is just as hearty & soul enriching for family as it will be for fine dining. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of excellent burgundy.

The gravy in the stew is rich, thick and infused with the the flavors of the herbs, seasoning & root vegetables. The scent from the turnips is distinct, heady & the flavor in the root vegetables which have absorbed all the wine & the meat juices is absolutely delicious. The turnips even more so!

What better a way to invite the goodness of spring into your home than with Navarin D'Agneau Printanier ?

Recipe for

Navarin D'Agneau Printanier {Lamb Navarin with Spring Vegetables}

Preparation
time - 30 minutes

Cooking time - 2 hours

Serves
4-6

2 lbs boneless leg of lamb (I used Australian)

1 large onion (to
get about 1-1/4 cups chopped)

1 leek

3 garlic cloves

18 pearl onions

16 baby red (waxy) potatoes

3 large carrots

3 medium turnips

1/4 lb
fresh green french beans (thin variety)

1/2 cup
frozen shelled green peas

4 tbs vegetable oil

2 tbs salted butter

1 carton (1 litre) beef stock

3 tbs
all-purpose flour

1 tsp
salt

1/4 tsp
ground
black pepper

4-5 fresh thyme sprig

6-7
sprigs parsley (enough to get 1 tbs chopped leaves)

Bouquet Garni

2 fresh thyme sprig or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

5 parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves

Preparation-

Turnips
- Peel, discard top & bottom knobs & cut into quarters.

Carrots
- Peel & cut into
1-1/2" thick lengths. Discard
the top.

Onion
- Peel,
discard the skin. Halve, & then place in a mini-chopper and finely
chop.

Cook's Note - Interestingly, Grausman does not
use onions in his recipe but Cordon Bleu does & I do like onion.

Lamb
- If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a
kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest.
Return the rest
of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not
refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.

Cut
away the thick skin if attached from the meat.

Cut the lamb into
1-1/2" cubes. Place on a kitchen paper towel. Cover with
another piece of paper towel and press so all the moisture is absorbed. The meat will not
brown if it is damp.

For
Bouquet Garni - Take 2 stalks of celery approx 4-5 inches long but
of
equal lengths. Place fresh or dried thyme in one of the celery hollows
(what else would u call it?) Place the bay leaves covering the thyme
followed by sprigs of fresh parsley.

Interlock
the two celery sticks together squishing
together all the herbs and tie the 2 halves together with kitchen
twine. There you have it - bouquet garni without the cheesecloth.
I have used this method time and time again over decades and it works
well every time.

Cooking method -

Use a
heavy bottom pan, dutch oven or a copper saute pan.

On
high heat, bring vegetable oil to fuming. In a
single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then
flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes
for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over
crowd the pan.

Once golden brown, remove the meat &
set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.

Saute on medium heat for about 3-5
minutes, shaking the pan frequently so the carrots brown on all sides.
Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

In the same pan saute the pearl onions & turnips
for another 3-5 minutes or so or until they are browned on all sides. Shake the pan frequently so the onions
& turnips begin to glaze & are brown on all sides. Remove them
to the same plate with the carrots along with all the butter in the pan.

Green
peas - Measure out the frozen green peas.

Green
French beans - For aesthetic reasons, I only string from the top
woody bit. I leave the end intact. Especially because these are
succulent young green beans, this will be OK. If you are using tough
green beans then string from both ends.

Set
aside the green peas & the green beans ready to use.

After the
stew has been cooking an hour, give the stew a good stir & add
potatoes & the carrots. Stir & replace the tight fitting lid.

Cook's Note - In both the traditional recipes,
the potatoes are cooked separately and added to the stew at the every
end. I see no reason for this. If anything the potatoes are going to
taste only better cooking in the stew (and I was right)

Mean while bring a pot of water, about 3 cups to an
angry boil with 1 tsp salt. This takes about 15 minutes.

Add the green french beans and cook for about 5-7
minutes. Drain in a sieve, discarding excess water. Add the beans &
peas to the stew. Stir. Replace the tight fitting lid & cook for 5
minutes.

Test the green beans & give it
another 5 minutes if needed. In my case the beans were cooked after 5
minutes but since the quality of the beans varies, check to ascertain.
Also, pierce one of every vegetable & thick piece of lamb to ensure
it is all cooked.

Total cooking time was
about 2 hours. Discard the thyme sprigs & the bouquet garni.

Cook's Note - If you are
preparing to serve this the next day do not add the green beans &
peas until the stew has been reheated thoroughly just before serving
time the next day.

March 16, 2010

Traditional Irish stew, Stobhach Gaelach in Gaelic, was made with what was readily available at hand & cheap cuts of meat. Since the Irish raised primarily sheep and
root vegetables, the original stew basically consisted of fatty cuts of lamb, onions & floury potatoes layered with salt & pepper. Potatoes were
the main food crop, prior to the potato famine. The result was a stew that was filling, simple & rustic.

The first time I ever made Irish stew was during my teen years back in Mumbai. I got hold of a recipe from a neighbor who was attending culinary school and I recall using a rather generous quantity of peppercorns in it (all on my own accord of course, the tinkering gene was on the loose again! ) What I do remember most about the meal was it punctuated coughing fits all around the table. Needless to say I didn't attempt the exercise again until many years later.

The 'later' was to be in Sydney as a graduate student constantly tethering towards the exciting world of brokedom. Thanks to the fellow Irish students on the same floor at my housing
college at Uni, who also happened to be foreign students just like myself, we found a favorite lunch pub-grub hangout for when we had the dough which was P.J's on King Street. Any excuse for us to venture into the CBD for a little time away from assignments & deadlines.

One of the guys O'Farty....sorry... O'Flaugherty decided that we should all pool our resources together and fix a traditional Irish dinner, starring Irish stew of course, all on our own. We ingratiated ourselves onto a fellow Aussie student who rented an apartment (with an oven mind you) not far from the Uni and off we went.

O'Flaugherty pulled out his Mum's recipe, heavily embellished the stew with stout and so it was we had our first authentic homemade Irish stew. He also insisted we make traditional Irish Soda Bread to go with but I think the stout must have kicked in by then because the bread that popped out of the oven was so hard, that as we exchanged nervous glances we must all have been thinking the same thing. Namely, how none of us were covered for dental work should our molars decide to give in! Needless to say the stew pot was wiped clean - the bread, not so much.

Since then, I have continued to follow O'Flaugherty's recipe but with some tweaks. I have fused some aspects of traditional boeuf
bourguignon, such as the use of bacon lardons and browning the meat to seal in the juices. I also use
fresh herbs as well as root vegetables such as carrots & parsnips that are not traditional to
the dish. The result I think you will agree is a more updated, haute
cuisine version that is absolutely delicious!

Cook's Note - If you want a thick stew then also add 1/3 cup pearl barley , 1 tbs at a time between each layer as is traditionally done in this recipe. In our family we like this stew the way it is so I have omitted the pearl barley.

Prepare the ingredients -

Parsnips - Peel & cut into 1/2" thick circles. Discard the top. If some pieces near the top are very large (like 2" in diameter) then halve

Lamb - If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest. Return the rest of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.

Cut away the thick skin if attached from the meat & then cut into 1-1/2" cubes.

Sprinkle 2-1/2 tbs all-purpose flour all over the meat and rub will the meat in thoroughly coated with the flour.

Use a heavy bottom pan, dutch oven or as in my case a copper saute pan. Yup, its time for my Mauviel panagain...smiles..

On medium heat, add olive oil and heat for about a minute. Add the bacon and saute for about 5-7 minutes till crispy. Remove from the saute pan and set aside in a clean bowl.

Discard 2 tbs of the fat. Return the remaining fat & pan to the heat.

In a single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over crowd the pan.

Once golden brown, remove the meat & set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.

Add the carrots & parsnips ans saute for another 2 minutes on medium heat. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat. Add 1 cup of the beef stock and de-glaze the pan by dislodging all the yummy bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan. Remove from heat and place on a trivet, ready to begin layering the stew.

With a large spatula or metal spoon, press down on the meat & potatoes so they are more or less covered by the stock.

Very important - Cover with a tight fitting lid.

Place in the oven and bake for 2-1/2 hours straight.

At this point no opening oven door, no peeking, no fussing, no messing around with the stew. Leave it alone. Period.

When you take it our of the oven 2-1/2 hours later, the meat will be fork tender, the vegetables cooked and the aroma of lamb & rosemary will fill the air.

Traditionally, the stew is made the day before so the flavors mature. I have eaten this both ways and it is delicious either way. Make sure you serve it piping hot.

The flavors from the lamb & rosemary is wonderful. There is an explosion of flavors from each bite and the root vegetables are soft having absorb all the wonderful juices from the meat & herbs. Even our kids lapped it up as we served the stew. Serve hot with thick slices of
Irish Soda bread with a generous spread of butter. You'll find the post for excellent Irish Soda bread coming up next.

This is wonderful meal on a cold blustery evening & even better with tall pints of the black stuff!

Recipe for

Stobhach Gaelach, Old Irish Stew, Modern Makeover

Preparation
time - 30 minutes

Baking time - 2-1/2 hours

Serves 4

2-3 lbs boneless leg of lamb (I used Australian)

1 large onion (to get about 1-1/2 cups sliced)

2 leeks

3 thick bacon slices

2-3 tbs all-purpose flour

2 carrots

2 parsnips

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3 tbs olive oil

3-4 sprigs rosemary (enough to get 1 tbs chopped leaves)

6-7 sprigs parsley (enough to get 2 tbs chopped leaves)

1 carton (1 litre) beef stock - 4 cups

1/3 cup pearl barley (optional, for thicker stew)

Preparation-

Parsnips - Peel & cut into
1/2" thick circles. Discard the top. If some pieces near the top are
very large (like 2" in diameter) then halve

Lamb
- If you purchased a boneless leg of lamb like I did, then use a
kitchen scale and separate 2 lbs of meat from the rest. Return the rest
of the meat to the refrigerator for use in a later recipe. Do not
refreeze if the meat has been defrosted from the freezer.

Cut
away the thick skin if attached from the meat & then cut into 1-1/2"
cubes.

Sprinkle all-purpose flour all over the meat and rub will the meat in thoroughly
coated with the flour.

Cooking method -

Preheat
the oven to 350 deg F.

Use
a
heavy bottom pan, casserole or a dutch oven.

On
medium heat, add olive oil and heat for about a minute. Add the bacon
and saute for about 5-7 minutes till crispy. Remove from the saute pan
and set aside in a clean bowl.

Discard
2 tbs of the fat. Return the
remaining fat & pan to the heat.

In
a
single layer, add the lamb chunks to the pan. Brown on each side, then
flip over an brown on the other side. This should take about 10 minutes
for each batch & may need to be cooked in 2 batches. Do not over
crowd the pan.

Once
golden brown, remove the meat &
set aside while you cook the second batch of meat.

Add
the carrots & parsnips ans saute for another 2 minutes on medium
heat. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Return
the pan to the heat. Add 1 cup of the beef stock and de-glaze the pan
by dislodging all the yummy bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the
pan. Remove from heat and place on a trivet, ready to begin layering the
stew.

Layering
the stew -

Cook's Note - If you want a
thick
stew then also add 1/3 cup pearl barley , 1 tbs at a time between each
layer as is traditionally done in this recipe. In our family we like
this stew the way it is so I have omitted the pearl barley.